Spark + Buzz Communications’ Founder Courtney Malengo was recently interviewed by Medium Magazine about branding. She shared her tips for assessing when a brand makeover makes sense versus when a brand overhaul is necessary. Courtney noted five strategies that companies can leverage when exploring ways to re-energize a brand.
- Step back and evaluate. Ask yourself why? No person or company should embark upon a brand refresh or overhaul on a whim. Ask yourself how this will advance the company’s strategic goals and opportunities for revenue. Ask yourself, why now? The answers to these questions are important to determine the right timing and next steps.
- Storytelling as strategy. What’s your story? Your story can be the ultimate marketplace differentiator and serve as a strategic avenue to connect with your customers or clients. The key is, your story and messaging must be authentic to who you are. If you think of that story as the heart of your brand, it is what will attract the right customers.
- Develop a narrative and messaging matrix. An amazing story is only amazing if it is told well and others know about it. That means you must be intentional about developing a narrative everyone internally can ascribe to and repeat, and then strategically embed that into every tactic and initiative, internally and externally, that the company undertakes. Develop a message matrix tool that serves as a guideline, highlighting key themes, words and phrases the brand should use.
- Align internal and external. A brand is more than a logo or tagline. If you believe and view your brand as a series of touchpoints with customers and employees, you will quickly realize that your story must flow through all parts of the organization, both internally and externally. It becomes about nuancing your unique story to the various audiences and understanding what makes them engage with your brand. This is also important from an operational perspective because your brand will never truly embody its purpose if your internal teams do not believe your external messaging. It requires coordination and collaboration across all departments, which means no kingdoms and silos. Everything should be structured in the best interest of your customer and how you cater to them. But don’t forget your employees in the process either!
- Explore visual identity and details. Once you’ve gone through the processes above and determined whether you are pursuing a brand refresh or a brand overhaul (rebrand), then you can begin exploring the visual identity and how that needs to be represented moving forward. The little things and details really do matter when it comes to elevating the brand experience.
Spark + Buzz is a boutique strategic communications consultancy helping brands tell their story to inspire audiences and galvanize growth. From concept to completion, Spark + Buzz designs creative and strategic solutions to help differentiate clients in the marketplace. Learn more about Spark + Buzz’s services.